Rein-support



No. 6l6,694. Patented Dec. 27, I898.

L. W. ARNOLD.

BEIN SUPPORT.

A plication filed Oct. 18, 1897.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

LUOUS WV. ARNOLD, OF BLACKBURN, MISSOURI.

RElN-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,694, dated December 27, 1898. Application filed October 18,1897. erial No. 655,624. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Locus W. ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Black: burn, in the county of Saline and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rein-Supports; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rein-holders, and has for its object to provide a device which while holding the reins will allow a limited amount of pull, so that the horse can move his head without much res'istance, and to keep the reins in an elevated position, so that they will not come in contact or become entangled with the horses tail and feet, and thus avoid many serious accidents.

My invention consists of a standard attached to a suitable part of the vehicle on which is provided suitable resilient pieces, preferably in the form of coil-springs, which are fastened to the reins and hold the reins in the desired elevated position without in any way interfering with driving, as it adjusts itself to the pull on the rein. The stand ard can be adjusted to the height desired,

' and the resilient holders are detachably fastened to the reins by means of a buckle. or

clamp at the free ends of the spring-holders;

and the invention further consists in the detailed construction of the parts, which will be more clearly hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my device applied to a dashboard. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a view of a modified standard. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the clamp or buckle. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the clamp or buckle.

Like letters of reference denote correspond in g parts in all the figures,referring to which- A B are the pieces forming the sectional standard. The rod or piece B is adapted to be telescoped into the tube A. A set-screw is provided in the tube A to hold the rod B in the desired elevated position. The tubular part of the standard A is fastened to the vehicle in any suitable manner at a, preferably by flattening the lower end and fastening the same to the dashboard by means of bolts or screws; but thisis not essential, as it may be fastened by suitable clamps to any de-- sirable part on the front of a vehicle.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I provide a small cross rod or tube 0 at the head of the rod B. At each end of this tube 0, I provide the resilient pieces D D, preferably in the form of coiled springs, as shown; but rubber or other suitable material may be employed. To the free ends of these springs D, I attach suitable buckles or clamping devices E E to separately connect each rein F F to the springs D. I do not limit myself to this form of buckle, as any suitable clamp or other device may be used to detachably or adjustably connect the reins to the springs.

If desired, the reins F could be passed through the tube 0 at the head of rod B or they may be passed over the same; but neither position isessential, as the reins would be held in proper position by the springs.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of my invention, consisting in extending the standard B to form the head G, to which the springs D are attached, thus dispensing with the cross-piece O.

The clamp E (illustrated by Fig. 4) consists of a shell having a suitable ring or aperture at its top for attachment to the springs D, and is then formed into arched arms 6 6. At the lower extremity of the arm 6 is pivoted the base-plate e" of the clamp, which is adapted to be turned to open the buckle to permit the ready insertion of the rein. The arm e is so constructed as to form a stop for the lateral movement of the base. If desired, this base 6" can be made integral with or as a part of the arms 6 e. The rein would then have to be inserted by passing the end through the aperture and be drawn to the desired forward position. I place a suitable cam e between the arms c e and the base 6, which cam is pivoted to the arms e e. This cam c is adapted to be turned until it will bind or hold the rein F firmly between itself and the base 6 at any desired position. To facilitate turning the cam, I have provided a short arm made integral with the cam at one end therebuckle by raising the cam e and turning the of and which when the cam is turned to lock or hold the rein will also bear against and prevent the base e from turning on its pivot, thus providing a locking device.

In using the device the reins F are inserted in the space provided for the same in the base 6 to open the buckle sufficiently to allow the rein to be inserted, and then adjusting the buckle to the proper distance on the rein, preferably so that the springs D will be in clined outwardly, as shown.

The rein is fastened or held firmly in the clamp by turning the cam so that its face will bear upon the rein and force it against the base e. The cam can be turned by means of the short arm provided thereon, which arm bears against the free end of the base and locks the same in its closed position when the cam is adjusted to hold the rein.

My device overcomes the objection to many holders now in use in that the reins do not have to be removed from the holder when driving. It will be readily understood that the springs D are so arranged that there is practically no strain or pull on the reins by said spring while driving.

The springs D not only prevent the reins from being caught under the horses tail or in the harness, but also provide a certain amount of play in the reins to provide for the movements of the horse and to relieve the driver from efiort to overcome the tension of the springs.

It is thought that the operation and advantages of my device can be readily and fully understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts may be made bya skilled mechanic; but I reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rein-support, the combination with a standard comprising a head-piece,of springs depending from said head-piece and having clamps at their free ends for separately uniting said springs to the driving-reins, substantially as described.

2. In a rein-support, the combination with a supporting-standard, of springs attached to the head thereof and adapted to be separately connected to the reins by clamps consisting of parallel arms composing the sides and bent at the top of said clamp, the laterally-movable base-piece pivoted to one of the parallel arms and adapted to abut or rest against the other arm, acam pivoted between said arms and adapted to bear against said base-piece, and an arm rigidly attached to said cam to turn the same and to bear against and hold the end of the base-piece firmly against the free arms when the cam is turned to bind against a rein inserted between the base-piece and cam, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LUOUS \V. ARNOLD.

\Vitnesses:

J AS. H. NEAL, J. M. BARKS. 

